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Charlton's Baseball Chronology - 1923
January
February
| February 11 |
With rookie Jim Bottomley in the wings‚ the Cards send 1B Jack Fournier to the Brooklyn Robins in a trade for C Hy Myers. The veteran Fournier says he'll quit if he has to move‚ but gives in and plays another 5 years. Fournier‚ with 22 homers in 1923‚ will finish 2nd in the NL‚ but his 20 steals in 43 attempts‚ the century's worst percentage for anyone with 20 steals‚ will barely qualify him for the 20-20 club. |
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The Dodgers trade Clarence Mitchell to the Phils for George Smith. Smith‚ a 20-game loser last year‚ must breath a sigh of relief since he lost 14 straight to Brooklyn (September 3‚ 1920-June 25‚ 1922). |
| February 20 |
Christy Mathewson becomes president of the Boston Braves after buying the club for $300‚000 with New York attorney Judge Emil Fuchs and Bostonian James McDonough. The deal does not include Braves Field‚ which still belongs to James Gaffney. There are also 85 minority stockholders. |
March
| March 6 |
The Cardinals announce that their players will wear numerals on their uniforms‚ and number them according to the batting order. It doesn't happen this season. |
| March 7 |
After sitting out most of last season‚ 35-year-old Fred Toney signs for one more year with the Cards. |
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The New England American Legion appeals to Commissioner Landis to discontinue morning games on Memorial Day. The request is turned down. |
| March 8 |
Judge Landis allows former Giants lefthanded P Rube Benton to return to the NL. Benton had admitted prior knowledge of the 1919 WS fix‚ but he remained in baseball‚ winning 22 for St. Paul (American Association). NL President Heydler disagrees with Landis‚ calling Benton "undesirable‚" but does not stop the Reds from signing him. Benton‚ 35‚ will be 14-10 for the 2nd-place Reds. |
| March 30 |
The Red Sox announce that they are filing a $15‚000 suit against the Tigers because P Carl Holling‚ acquired in a trade last October‚ has not reported. Holling never does pitch. |
April
| April 3 |
Two "Black Sox" sue the White Sox. Swede Risberg and Happy Felsch seek $400‚000 damages and $6‚750 back salary for conspiracy and injury to reputation‚ but their suit will be unsuccessful. |
| April 5 |
Reflecting the strength of corporate baseball teams‚ an article (noted by Carlos Bauer) in today's Beloit Daily News reports that "Beloit Fairy pitchers (Hippo) Vaughn‚ Cashion‚ (Win) Noyes‚ (Zip) Zabel‚ and Dave Davenport (all ex-major leaguers) leave Beloit today for Hot Springs‚ Arkansas‚ where they will take a week-long conditioning drill before being joined by the remainder of the factory squad‚ due to leave for the southland April 11. Manager Chubb will accompany the pitchers to Hot Springs‚ and will be on hand to pray for less rain at that resort than has been the portion of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Red Sox-which clubs have been wallowing through three weeks of soggy weather there." |
| April 17 |
Record Opening Day crowds turn out in Chicago-more than 33‚000-for the Cubs' dedication of their greatly enlarged and remodeled park. But the fans are disappointed as Johnny Morrison stops the Cubs‚ 3-2 to give Pittsburgh the win. |
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In Cincinnati‚ 30‚338 watch the Reds win an 11-inning 3-2 contest over the Cards. Pete Donohue tops Les Sell. The Redbirds are wearing uniform numbers corresponding to the position in the batting order. |
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In the longest NL opener to date‚ Brooklyn and Philadelphia battle to a 14-inning 5-5 tie. Dutch Ruether‚ who beat the Phils 7 straight in 1922‚ goes the distance. |
| April 18 |
On a balmy spring day‚ the debut of Yankee Stadium is a huge success with an announced attendance of 74‚217. Another 25‚000 are turned away. Police arrest two for scalping: one man for trying to sell a $1.10 grandstand ticket for $1.25‚ while another tries to get $1.50. Governor Al Smith throws out the first ball. Bob Shawkey‚ aided by Babe Ruth's 3-run clout in the 3rd inning‚ beats Howard Ehmke and the Red Sox 4-1. Ruth hits the first home run in the Stadium and also makes the first error. Shawkey allows 3 hits‚ including a run-scoring triple in the 7th by former Yank Norm McMillan. |
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In Philadelphia‚ the A's beat Senators‚ 3-1. The big blow is Jimmy Dykes' 2-run HR off Walter Johnson in the 2nd inning to give Slim Harriss the win. Johnson allows six hits in 8 innings of work. |
| April 20 |
The Cubs win 12-11 over the Pirates on Gabby Hartnett's 9th-inning HR‚ his 2nd of the game. There are 8 HRs in the game‚ 6 by the Cubs‚ who had hit 4 the day before. The Cubs will hit 90 for the year‚ more than double their team total of 42 last year. |
| April 22 |
The first Sunday game at Yankee Stadium draws an estimated 60‚000‚ but the Yankees‚ despite an 8th inning HR by Everett Scott‚ suffer their first loss of the year‚ 4-3 to Washington's Walter Johnson. |
| April 23 |
At the Polo Grounds‚ the Giants win an odd one from the Braves‚ 7-3. Pitcher Art Nehf allows just one hit while 1B George Kelly has 21 chances. Boston makes 5 double plays. |
| April 24 |
President Warren G. Harding attends the game at Yankee Stadium and sees Babe Ruth hit a HR in a 4-0 win over the Senators‚ the first shutout in the new stadium. |
| April 26 |
The Giants receive their 1922 WS rings‚ then beat the Braves 7-3 in their home opener‚ despite a record-tying 5 double plays by Boston. Giants 1B George "Highpockets" Kelly ties a record‚ handling 22 chances in the field. |
| April 30 |
Phils OF Fred "Cy" Williams starts an unprecedented slugging spree‚ going 2-for-4 in a 12-3 loss to the Braves. In 15 games in the Baker Bowl‚ he will accumulate 65 total bases on 11 singles‚ 5 doubles‚ 11 home runs‚ and 29 RBI. He will lead the NL with 41 HRs‚ equal to Ruth's AL top total‚ but his BA will drop to .293‚ his only sub-.300 mark during a 7-year stretch. |
May
| May 2 |
Walter Johnson gets his 100th shutout‚ and New York SS Everett Scott gets a gold medal from the AL for playing in his 1‚000th consecutive game. Scott's skein began on June 20‚ 1916. Washington defeats the Yankees 3-0‚ as Big Train allows just 3 hits. |
| May 3 |
Pirates 1B Charlie Grimm starts a 25-game hitting streak that will be stopped by Dick Rudolph‚ the 1914 Braves hero‚ who comes off the coaching lines to make 4 starts for Boston. |
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Brooklyn edges the Boston Braves‚ 12-11‚ although Phil Weinhart and Casey Stengel are not around for the finish‚ as both are ejected for fighting. |
| May 9 |
At St. Louis‚ A's pitcher Walt Kinney relieves in the 3rd with his team down 3-0‚ and helps tie the score in the 6th by reaching Urban Shocker for a solo HR. The Browns rock Kinney for 4 runs in the 7th and he is lifted‚ and St. Louis goes on to win‚ 10-5. For Kinney‚ his HR comes on his last ML at bat. |
| May 11 |
The Phils and Cards bash a record 10 HRs out of cozy Baker Bowl as the Phils outkick the Cards‚ 20-14; Cy Williams has 3 homers and 7 RBIs while teammate Johnny Mokan adds two homers‚ a double‚ and 7 RBIs. Les Mann belts two for St. Louis‚ and losing pitcher Bill Sherdel connects. In all‚ 23 batters hit safely with the two teams combining for 79 total bases. Williams now has 12 homers‚ tops in the Majors. |
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OF Pete Schneider strokes 5 HRs‚ including 2 grand slams‚ in a game for Vernon (Pacific Coast League). He also adds a double that hits 2 feet from the top of the CF wall. The former ML pitcher‚ who won 20 for the Reds in 1917‚ drives in 14 runs in a 35-11 victory over Salt Lake City. |
| May 12 |
P Hollis "Sloppy" Thurston goes from the Browns to the White Sox for cash. |
| May 13 |
In a 5-2 Cleveland win‚ Washington rookie Wally Warmoth strikes out Cleveland SS Joe Sewell twice. It is the first of only 2 times in his 14-year career that Sewell will fan twice in the same contest. |
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Chicago's Pete Alexander beat Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance‚ 5-2. For Alexander‚ it is his 6th straight game without walking a batter since the season's start. He'll walk 3 in his next outing‚ ending his streak at 52 straight innings. |
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Playing for Salt Lake City (PCL)‚ teammates Oscar Vitt and Paul Strand each connect for 2 homers in the same inning. |
| May 14 |
Paced by Wally Pipp's grand slam‚ the Yankees score 8 runs in the 12th against the Tigers‚ to put the game away. Detroit comes back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to set an AL mark (later tied) for most runs in that frame. |
| May 15 |
At Boston‚ the Cards trim the Braves 10-5. The Birds are led by Jim Bottomley's three triples. |
| May 17 |
When the Giants return big southpaw Rube Walberg to Portland (PCL) after a 2-game trial‚ the A's buy him. He'll be 4-8 in the first of his 15 ML seasons. |
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Grover Alexander finally issues a walk after starting the season with 52 IP without a pass for the Cubs. He walks 3 in a 7-4 win over the Phils. |
| May 18 |
At Detroit‚ former Tiger pitcher‚ Howard Ehmke pitches his Boston Red Sox team to a 6-2 victory in 10 innings. Cobb is 0-for-3 and caps the day with a heated argument (under the grandstand)‚ reportedly because Ehmke hit him with a pitch. |
| May 19 |
At Chicago‚ the Senators edge the White Sox‚ 6-4. Walter Johnson slams a decisive 2 run single in the top of the 9th‚ then allows 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th before getting relief help from Allan "Rubberarm" Russell. Johnson fans 6. Ossie Bluege homers for Washington. |
| May 20 |
With the Polo Grounds newly expanded‚ the Giants set a NL attendance record with 42‚000+ fans on hand. The Giants clip the Cardinals‚ 14-4‚ on 20 hits. |
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Stanley Coveleski and the Indians beat Boston‚ 1-0. Coveleski makes 10 assists. |
| May 21 |
Formal transfer of T. L. Huston's interest in the Yankees to Jake Ruppert is completed for $1.5 million. Ten days later Ruppert buys 2 more sets of uniforms so his players can wear a clean outfit every day‚ an unprecedented move. |
| May 22 |
Babe Ruth breaks a 1-1 tie between the Yanks and White Sox by clouting a 2-run homer in the 15th inning. The blow breaks up a tense pitching duel between little Mike Cvengosa and Herb Pennock‚ who goes all the way giving up just 4 hits. The Yanks have now won 12 of 13 contests in their western swing. |
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In a Negro League NL game at St. Louis' Stars Park‚ Chicago American Giants CF Cristobal Torriente hits for the cycle‚ scoring 3 and batting in 7 runs‚ He finishes his offensive outburst with a homer in the top of the 9th to give the American Giants an 11-10 lead. In the bottom of the ninth‚ Jack Marshall gets into a jam and Torriente comes in with two out and runners on 2B and 3B. With Cool Papa Bell at the plate‚ Torriente promptly goes from hero to goat in the space of two pitches‚ both of them wild‚ allowing the tying and winning runs to score easily. |
| May 23 |
Pittsburgh sends 2B Cotton Tierney and P Whitney Glazner to the Phils for 2B Johnny Rawlings and P Lee Meadows. Meadows will win 85 games over the next 5 years as Glazner's replacement in the Pittsburgh rotation. |
| May 25 |
In Detroit‚ Ty Cobb scores his 1‚741st run‚ passing Honus Wagner's record‚ but his Tigers lose to Chicago‚ 5-3. |
| May 27 |
At New York‚ Phillies slugger Cy Williams cracks his 15th HR of May‚ a new record for the month‚ and his 18th of the season. The homer comes off Giants' P Rosy Ryan in a losing cause‚ as the Giants win‚ 12-4. The 15 homers in May will not be topped by any Phillie this century. |
| May 28 |
Houston Buffalo slugger Les Bell ties a minor league record for most doubles in a game by clanging 5 straight in a Texas League game against Dallas. |
| May 30 |
After playing before the NL's biggest crowd (41‚000) in the P.M. game of the holiday twin bill split against Brooklyn‚ the Giants head west with a 4-game lead over the Pirates. Five regulars will bat over .300‚ and three will top 100 RBI‚ led by NL leader Irish Meusel's 125. At 3B‚ rookie Travis Jackson takes over for gimpy Heinie Groh. With 5 future Hall of Famers in the lineup and 8 on the roster during the season‚ the Giants will be the first team to hold first place from opening to closing day and the only NL team to have done it. With average pitching‚ they win just 95 games‚ but it's enough for a 4 1?2 game margin over the Reds. |
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In 1st of 2 games in New York‚ Ruth's homer in 1st inning off Walter Johnson propels the Yankees to a 6-4 win over Washington. Herb Pennock is the winner. |
June
| June 1 |
With 5 hits apiece by Heinie Groh‚ Ross Youngs‚ and Jimmie O'Connell-a first in the 20th century‚ the first-place Giants score in all 9 innings‚ also a ML record‚ beating the Phils 22-8 at Baker Bowl. It's been done only once since in the N.L.‚ by the Cardinals on September 13‚ 1964‚ and never in the AL. O'Connell has 3 doubles‚ a homer‚ and a single in his 5 safeties‚ good for 7 RBIs. The winning pitcher is Claude Jonnard. |
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Boston Red Sox spitballer Jack Quinn holds New York's Wally Pipp hitless‚ ending Pipp's 21-game hit streak. Boston wins‚ 5-0. |
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In the 3rd inning at Detroit‚ Indians Frank Brower attempts to break a 1-1 tie by bunting with runners on 1B and 2B and no outs. Brower pops into a triple play‚ 1-6-3. Undaunted‚ Cleveland then goes on the warpath‚ scoring in 5 of the next 6 innings to win‚ 17-4. Led by pitcher George Uhle‚ who goes 4-for-4 with 3 doubles and 4 RBIs‚ the Tribe collects 16 hits and 11 walks. Uhle will lead AL pitchers in hitting this year with .361 and .472 SA. |
| June 3 |
After pitching a CG win yesterday‚ Tiger P Herman Pillette relieves today in the 8th against Cleveland with Detroit up‚ 7-5. Pillette allows both inherited runners to score‚ but the Tigers tally a run in the bottom of the 9th to give him his 2nd win in 2 days (as noted by Retrosheet). |
| June 8 |
Browns C Pat Collins leaves the game after pinch-running in the 3rd inning‚ but‚ as a courtesy‚ A's manager Connie Mack gives the okay to allow him to come back as a pinch hitter for starting P Ray Kolp in the 9th. He walks‚ setting an odd ML mark of being the only player to pinch run and pinch hit in the same game. But St. Louis loses 6-5 to reliever Rube Walberg. |
| June 12 |
All of Hack Miller's 7 RBIs are needed as his Cubs edge the Braves 12-11 at Cubs Park. Miller's grand slam in the 5th ties the game 7-7‚ and his 2-run shot in the next inning gives them a lead. The Cubs win their 7th straight game‚ while Boston absorbs its 11th straight loss. |
| June 14 |
Rogers Hornsby returns to action with a home run in the Cardinals 3-2 win over the Braves. Hornsby tore something in his knee in a game on May 8th‚ and his knee was in a cast for two weeks. He'll leave tomorrow for 5 days to visit his ailing mother. |
| June 17 |
Reds IF Sammy Bohne spoils Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance's no-hitter with a 9th inning two-out pop-fly single. But Vance wins‚ 9-0‚ topping the Reds' 9-game winning streak. |
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At Chicago‚ the Phils Whitey Glazner notches a 6-4 victory over Tiny Osborne. The Tribune will report tomorrow that when a elevated passenger train is delayed at Addison Street‚ the conductor jumps off. When the motorman realizes he has no conductor‚ he notifies officials‚ who find the conductor in the bleachers at Cubs Park. |
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In his first game for Washington‚ Nationals starter Skipper Friday walks 14 White Sox batters to help Chicago to a 5-3 win in 11 innings. The victory goes to Dixie Leverett. Ossie Bluege ties a ML mark by striking out 5 times. |
| June 19 |
At Yankee Stadium‚ Tiger 1B Lu Blue singles in the first inning‚ then is replaced by a courtesy runner (as noted by Retrosheet). Blue was hit in the head by a batted ball in pregame practice and is still woozy. Blue then returns to 1B in the bottom of the first and plays out the game‚ a 6-5 loss to the Yankees. |
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Bubbles Hargrave drives in the lone run of the game in the 11th to give the Reds a 1–0 win over the Dodgers. Dolf Luque, in the midst of a 29-inning scoreless skein, beats Burleigh Grimes. Grimes will set a post-1900 record this year with decisions in all 39 of his starts (21-18). |
| June 25 |
After pitching 21 straight scoreless innings Guy Morton is lit up for 6 runs in the 6th inning by the Browns‚ who beat the Indians. 9-4. |
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After going 1-for-2 with a walk in yesterday’s 9-4 win, Brooklyn’s Jimmy Johnston goes 5-for-5 against Boston to start a remarkable hitting streak of six straight games with three or more hits (as noted by Trent McCotter). The Robins lose 7-4. |
| June 27 |
The Robins top the host Phillies, 15-5, and are led by the the hot hitting of Jimmy Johnston, who goes 3-for-4 with two walks. Against Philadelphia tomorrow, he will go 4-for-5 in an 8-7 loss. |
| June 28 |
Down 7-0 going into the bottom of the 9th inning‚ the Phillies score 8 runs to top Brooklyn 8-7. |
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St. Louis tops the Chicago Cubs‚ 1-0‚ with Fred Toney getting the decision over Pete Alexander. On a comebacker with the bases loaded‚ Alexander tries for a 1-6-3 double pay but the runner beats the throw and the lone run scores. |
| June 29 |
You can contain him but you can’t stop him. In a 14-5 victory at Philadelphia, Brooklyn’s Jimmy Johnston is 3-for-5 with a walk. His 4th straight game with at least 3 hits. |
| June 30 |
Led by Jimmy Johnston, Brooklyn splits a pair with the Phils, winning 10–4 before losing 6–2. Johnston makes an out his first time up, then goes 4-for-4 with a walk in game 1 and follows it with a 4-for-4 performance in game 2 to finish with a remarkable hitting and on base streak (as noted by Trent McCotter). He is the first player since Sam Thompson in 1895 to record 3 or more hits in six straight games (George Brett will do it in 1976); he has the most hits in 5 games (19) and 6 games (23) since Cal McVey in 1876; his 25 times on base for 30 plate appearances will be topped only by Barry Bonds; and he has the most times on base in 4, 5, 6, and 7 games since Billy Hamilton in 1894. |
July
| July 1 |
In the opener of a Western League doubleheader‚ the first 4 batters for Wichita all hit homers. The sluggers include Lyman Smith‚ Jocko Conlon‚ Wes Griffin‚ and Jim Blakesley off Wichita's Karl Black. Only Jocko will make it to the majors. |
| July 3 |
For the 2nd time this season‚ Babe Ruth clouts a game-winning homer in the 15th inning‚ this one off former Yankee George Mogridge. The Yankees beat the Senators‚ 2-1. The winner is Joe Bush‚ who pitches all 15 innings and accounts for the other New York run with a homer. |
| July 4 |
In the 10th inning at Cleveland‚ Detroit C Larry Woodall is forced out at 2B. He protests the call and gets tossed‚ leaving manager Cobb with no catchers available (as noted by Retrosheet). In comes 41-year-old coach Fred Carisch‚ who last played in 1914 (for the Indians). Manager Speaker protests‚ saying Carisch is not on the eligible list‚ but 2 walks and a home run by Indian pinch hitter Glen Myatt leave Tris speechless. Cleveland wins‚ 10-7‚ and drop the 2nd game‚‚ 15-3. |
| July 7 |
Cleveland scores in every inning against the Red Sox‚ but playing at home they don't bat in the 9th. It's hardly needed as they roll to a 27-3 win in a game known as "the Indian massacre." In their 8 innings‚ they run up a then AL-record 27 runs‚ including 13 in the 6th‚ and tie the record when 9 players score 2 or more runs. Boston's Bill Piercy leaves the game with 2 outs in the 6th after being hit by a line drive off the bat of Tris Speaker. Reliever Lefty O'Doul comes on and faces 16 batters‚ walking 6 and allowing 13 unearned runs before recording the final out. Bosox manager Frank Chance‚ annoyed at O'Doul's off-field antics‚ leaves Lefty on the mound‚ O'Doul gives up the record-setting 13 unearned runs on 11 hits and 8 walks. The inning ends when 2B Riggs Stephenson is thrown out trying to steal 2B‚ after the previous batter Joe Sewell had swiped 2B. O'Doul is relieved in the 7th in this‚ his last season as a ML pitcher‚ but he will return to the majors in 1928 as an OF. The Indians keep it up‚ scoring 3 in the first inning of the 2nd game en route to a 8-5 win. |
| July 10 |
Cardinals rookie P Johnny Stuart hurls 2 complete-game victories over Boston‚ winning by scores of 11-1 and 6-3‚ and striking out narry a batter. He allows 3 hits in the opener and 10 in the nitecap. |
| July 11 |
Harry Frazee‚ owner of the Red Sox since 1916‚ sells out for over $1 million to a group of Ohio businessmen‚ who bring in veteran front office man Bob Quinn from St. Louis to run the club. Frazee's departure is welcomed by Boston fans who are fed up with the sale of Frazee's best players over the years. |
| July 13 |
In Philadelphia‚ the Reds score in bunches to beat the Phils‚ 21-7. Cincy scores 5 in the 1st‚ 5 in the 3rd‚ 4 in the 5th‚ one in the 6th and 6 in the 9th. |
| July 15 |
At the Polo Grounds‚ Cubs outfielder Barney Friberg breaks a 5-5 tie by belting a 10th inning grand slam off Claude Jonnard to give Grover Alexander a 9-5 win. Pete is now 29-28 lifetime versus the Giants. |
| July 17 |
Miller Huggins' antipathy towards P Carl Mays surfaces as the manager keeps Mays in the entire game against Cleveland. The Indians light up Mays for 20 hits in the 13-0 win behind George Uhle. Mays' record will be a decent 5-2 in 81 innings‚ but the Yankees will sell him at the end of the season. Yankee teammates Ev Scott and Wally Pipp protest the Indian scalping of Mays‚ by exiting the game. |
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At Boston‚ Reds ace Dolf Luque starts and wins both games of a doubleheader against the Braves. In game 1‚ the Cuban cutie is lifted for a pinch hitter losing 2-0‚ but the Reds score 4 times to win‚ 4-3. Luque then pitches a complete game in game 2 to win‚ 9-5. He is now 15-2‚ nd will finish the season with a 12-2 road record. |
| July 18 |
In a 4-1 win at Detroit‚ Yankee RF Elmer Smith snags a hit-and-run line drive by Del Pratt and jogs to 1B to get Harry Heilmann‚ who had been running. The unassisted DP by an outfielder is the only one in Yankee history‚ but for Smith it is his 3rd‚ putting him behind Tris Speaker on the all-time list. He'll add a 4th in 1925 when patrolling the outfield for the Reds. |
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Cleveland's Guy Morton allows 2 hits in beating Washington‚ 4-1. |
| July 21 |
At Philadelphia‚ the Phils score 12 runs in the 6th inning‚ a NL record for the frame‚ to ease home 17-4‚ against Chicago in game 1. The Cubs retaliate in the nitecap‚ winning 16-9. |
| July 22 |
Washington's Walter Johnson notches his 3‚000th strikeout on the way to 3‚508. He fans 5 in beating Cleveland 3-1. The Tribe has to pack‚ ending their extended 31 game home stand which began on June 23. Their record for the stay was 16-15. |
| July 23 |
At Pittsburgh‚ the Cubs score 9 runs in the top of the 12th to beat the Pirates‚ 12-3. The 9 runs is a NL record for the inning. Otto Vogel's 3-run triple is the big blow in the scoring spree. |
| July 24 |
In Philadelphia‚ Yankee pitcher Carl Mays beats the Athletics‚ 9-2 for his AL record 24th straight win over Philadelphia. (the record was listed for years at 23 wins‚ but historian Lyle Spatz recalculated it at 24. This matches the ML high of Christy Mathewson‚ who won 24 straight). He started with doubleheader victories on August 30‚ 1918‚ while pitching for the Red Sox. The Yankees score 5 in the 8th and another 3 in the 9th on Ruth's 3-run homer‚ which lands on the roof of a house across 20th street. His 23rd homer ties the mark of Cy Williams. |
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At St. Louis‚ Cleveland's Jim Joe Edwards and the Browns Ray Kolp face off for 13 innings before Charlie Jamieson's leadoff HR in the 13th decides it‚ 3-2. Kolp faces 52 batters‚ at one point retiring 19 straight. |
| July 25 |
Bob Shawkey stops the A's‚ 5-4‚ to give the Yanks their 2nd win in a row in Philadelphia. Ruth is given 3 intentional walks to bring his walks for the season to 100. |
August
| August 1 |
Stepping in against the Indians Sherrod Smith in the 9th inning‚ Babe Ruth starts off batting righthanded. After taking a strike‚ he switches to LH and hits his 25th HR of the season. The Indians still win‚ 5-3. The Babe will again bat righty 4 days later. |
| August 2 |
The Browns drop a pair to the Senators‚ losing 5-0 to rookie Monroe Mitchell‚ then losing 2-1 to George Mogridge. Mitchell will go just 2-4 in his only ML season. The Browns help the recruit by twice batting out of turn (as noted by Clifford Blau). In the first inning‚ Ken Williams hit in Jacobson's place. Then‚ in the ninth‚ Hank Severeid batted when Gerber was supposed to‚ and the latter was called out. Coincidently or not ‚the Browns will fire manager Lee Fohl in a few days and replace him with Jimmy Austin. |
| August 3 |
No games are played following the death of President Harding in San Francisco on August 2nd. The schedule will also be canceled a week from now on the day of his funeral. |
| August 4 |
Travis Jackson drives in 8 runs on 4 hits to lead the Giants to a 14-4 win over Cincinnati. |
| August 5 |
Against the Browns‚ Ruth again bats righthanded. After the Babe hits his 26th and 27th HRs off of Ray Kolp‚ relief P Elam Vangilder takes no chances with Ruth and walks him intentionally in the 11th and again in the 13th inning. Ruth bats righty against Vangilder. Bob Meusel's single wins the game 9-8. |
| August 7 |
The Giants beat the Reds‚ 6-2‚ to sweep the five game series with Cincinnati. Collier's Eye‚ a sporting sheet‚ will allege that Reds' players Pat Duncan and Sammy Bohne had been approached by gamblers who offered them $15‚000 to lose the series. The players will be called before NL head John Heydler‚ and later the two will sue the publication for slander before settling out of court. |
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The Indians roll over the Washington Senators‚ 22-2. Down 13-1 in the 7th‚ the Nats bring in Squire Potter‚ but his only ML appearance is not pretty. Potter walks the first 2 batters on 8 pitches‚ and finishes the game allowing 9 runs on 11 hits in 2 innings‚ walks 4‚ with a wild pitch. The Indians mercifully get caught stealing 2B three times and have another runner out at 3B trying to stretch a double. Potter's brother Dykes will have a similar record in 1938 (as noted in Retrosheet). |
| August 11 |
The Tigers beat the Yanks‚ 10-4‚ in a series that features the top 2 AL hitters. Babe Ruth goes 3-for-8 against the Tigers‚ while Harry Heilmann is 5-for-10 against the Yanks. The two are neck and neck at .390 for the year. After the game‚ AL President Ban Johnson rules that Babe Ruth must give up his Sam Crawford bat‚ made for him by the future Hall of Famer. The bat is "four pieces of seasoned wood‚ carefully glued together." On August 21‚ Johnson rules that only one-piece bats will be allowed‚ a rule that also affects Ken Williams‚ who is using a plugged bat. |
| August 13 |
In the 2nd game of the afternoon in Washington‚ Chicago's Earl Sheely hits a 2-run homer in the 8th inning to beat Walter Johnson‚ 3-2. Dixie Leverett is the winning pitcher. Washington wins game 1‚ 5-4. |
| August 15 |
Senators southpaw George Mogridge becomes the only hurler to steal home in extra innings when he scores an insurance run in the 12th in a 5-1 win over the White Sox. |
| August 17 |
The Cardinals stop Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance after his 10 straight wins‚ 8-5. |
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The Yanks edge the Browns‚ 5-4 at St. Louis. Ruth hits his 31st homer in the 1st and adds a double in the 8th. After 111 games‚ Babe Ruth is hitting .401 with 31 HRs. He'll wind up with his highest BA‚ .393. With 205 hits‚ a ML record 170 walks‚ and 4 times hit by pitches‚ Ruth will reach base a record 379 times. |
| August 18 |
In the 6th inning against Vernon, Salt Lake sets PCL records for the most at bats (19), most runs scored (16), and ties the mark for most hits (13) that Vernon set against them in 1922.
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| August 20 |
At Comiskey Park‚ the Yanks are winning a laugher‚ 16-5‚ when a dog wanders onto left field in the 9th inning. Babe Ruth briefly plays with the pup‚ then tosses his mitt to chase it away. The dog promptly grabs the mitt and takes off at the same moment that Sox rookie pitcher Paul Castner lofts a fly to left. Babe casually catches the fly bare handed. |
| August 21 |
A 4-piece bat used by Ruth is banned by AL president Ban Johnson because of the glue used on it. A protest is made against the Browns' Ken Williams for using a bat with a wooden plug in it. Johnson rules that all bats must be one piece with nothing added except tape extending to 18 inches up the handle. |
| August 22 |
Against the A's‚ White Sox P Sloppy Thurston strikes out the side on 9 pitches in the 12th inning. Sloppy is the 2nd AL hurler to pitch a perfect inning and the only ML hurler in history to do it in extra innings. But great pitching by Eddie Rommel allows the A's to win it in 13 innings‚ 3-2. |
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Red Faber holds the A's to 4 singles and the White Sox roll‚ 10-0 battering starter Bob Hasty. The Sox swipe 6 bases‚ 5 in the 3rd inning. |
| August 24 |
Two and a half weeks after the Indians put a whupping on Washington‚ the Senators return the favor‚ beating the Tribe‚ 20-8. Sam Rice scores 5 runs for the Nats. |
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At Brooklyn‚ the Reds Dolf Luque (20-5) shuts out the Dodgers‚ 4-0‚ for his 20th win. The Havana hotshot will lead the NL in wins with 27 and ERA with a nifty 1.93. |
| August 26 |
Pittsburgh's Max Carey steals 2B‚ 3B and home as Pittsburgh wins 9-2 over Brooklyn. |
| August 30 |
At Boston‚ Red Sox ace Howard Ehmke beats the A's‚ 2-1‚ for the 5th times this year. Boston will finish in last place‚ but Ehmke will win 20 games. |
| August 31 |
Giants owner Charles Stoneham is indicted by a federal grand jury for perjury. He will also be indicted for mail fraud. He had denied any ownership in 2 bucket-shop operations that had been found guilty of stock frauds; creditors of the 2 firms claimed he retained financial interests in both. Other NL owners are rumored to be forming a pool to buy him out‚ but Stoneham stays out of jail and in the NL. |
September
| September 2 |
After playing 238 games without being shutout‚ Kansas City is stopped by Milwaukee's Nelson Potts‚ who wins 5-0. The string of scoring games ties the AA rec ord set by Minneapolis between September 1920 and June 1922. |
| September 4 |
Yankee Sam Jones no-hits the Athletics‚ 2-0‚ beating Bob Hasty. Babe Ruth makes the only strikeout of the game as he slips a point behind Detroit's Harry Heilmann in the batting race. Not till Ken Holtzman's no-hitter in 1969‚ will another pitcher record a no-hitter with no strikeouts. |
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In a twilight charity game‚ Ruth plays 1B for Philadelphia's Ascension Catholic Club. Ruth scores the only run in a 2-1 loss to the Lit Brothers. |
| September 7 |
The A's are hit with a no-hitter for the 2nd time in 4 days as Boston's Howard Ehmke strikes out one while pitching a 4-0 no-hitter against them. "Ehmke's zippy crossfire came out of the shortstop's chest like bad news from a gatling gun" (Philadelphia Public Ledger). Preserving the no-hitter is rival pitcher Slim Harriss‚ who hits the ball to the wall in the 7th and winds up on 2B‚ but he is called out for failing to touch 1B. An 8th inning liner by Frank Welch is fumbled in LF and he reaches 1B. The liner is initially ruled a single but changed before the inning is over. Ehmke has now won 6 straight over the A's this season. For Ehmke's batterymate‚ Val Picinich‚ it is his 3rd no-hitter‚ each with a different team. |
| September 9 |
In an IL game‚ the Syracuse Stars are leading 3-2 in the 7th and final inning when ump George Magerkurth calls a Baltimore runner safe‚ giving the Orioles a last chance at bat. Stars manager Frank Shaughnessy protests and the fans agree with him by pouring out onto the field‚ and the ump awards the forfeit win to the O's. |
| September 11 |
After Yankee leadoff hitter Whitey Witt reaches first base on a controversial infield hit that is ruled a single‚ Boston P Howard Ehmke retires the next 27 batters for a 3-0 win‚ his 20th of the year. The Yankee crowd exhorts the scorer Fred Lieb to reverse his call on the hard grounder that 3B Howard Shanks booted‚ but the one hit stood. Ehmke has now given up just one hit in his last 2 games. |
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Minor league head M. H. Sexton fines the president of the Norfolk club $1‚000 and suspends the team indefinitely for an attack on umpire. Barry led the attack by fans on umpire Harper. Sexton also accused the Virginia League president of laxity in that this is the 2nd attack on an ump in the league this year. Since the season is closed the suspension of the team does not affect the standings. |
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The White Sox buy OF Maurice Archdeacon from Rochester (International League) for $50‚000. After batting .402 in 22 games‚ including two 5-hit games‚ the little speed merchant will drop to .319‚ then to .111‚ then out of sight. |
| September 14 |
George Burns‚ 1B for the Boston Red Sox‚ makes an unassisted triple play in the 2nd on a line drive hit by Cleveland's Frank Brower. He tags out Rube Lutzke and rushes to 2B for the 3rd out before Riggs Stephenson returns. The Sox beat the visiting Indians‚ 4-3 in 12 innings. |
| September 15 |
Paul Strand‚ RF for Salt Lake City (PCL)‚ makes his 290th hit‚ a pro baseball record. He will play in 194 games‚ make 325 hits‚ including 66 doubles‚ 13 triples‚ and 43 HRs‚ for a .394 BA‚ with 180 runs and 187 RBI. He also has 612 total chances in the OF. Strand‚ 30‚ had come up to the Braves as a pitcher in 1913 and was 6-2 for the 1914 pennant winners‚ mostly in relief. The Athletics will pay a reported $100‚000 (which Mack later says was really $40‚000) for him‚ but he will hit just .228. |
| September 16 |
The Cubs lose 10-6 to the Giants in Chicago‚ despite the hitting of Hack Miller who collects 3 doubles and a triple. A riot occurs in the 8th inning when umpire Charlie Moran makes an out call at 2B on Sparky Adams. Moran is pelted by hundreds of pop bottles. Judge Landis‚ in attendance at the game‚ shakes his cane at the angry mob‚ and play is held up for 15 minutes. John McGraw and the umpires need a police escort at the conclusion. |
| September 17 |
The Giants' George Kelly sets a ML record by homering in the 3rd‚ 4th‚ and 5th against the Cubs Vic Aldridge as New York rolls to a 13-6 win. Kelly adds a single and double to run his total bases to 15 for the game. Kelly has now hit a record 6 homers off cousin Aldridge this year‚ a mark off one pitcher that will be tied by Ted Williams (in 1941‚ off Johnny Rigney) and Ted Kluszewski (in 1954‚ off Max Surkont). Kelly is the first player to homer in 3 successive innings. |
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At Washington‚ Walter Johnson notches two wins against the Browns‚ winning one game in relief‚ and the other as a starter. Game 1 is 5-4 in 10 innings and game 2 is 12-2 in 7 innings. |
| September 19 |
The Reds sweep the visiting Phillies‚ winning 1-0 behind Eppa Rixey‚ and 6-5 as Pete Donohue notches his 20th win. Rixey will rec ord his 20th win in 2 days‚ beating the Dodgers‚ 4-3‚ in 11 innings. With Luque already over 20‚ the Reds have three 20-game winners. The pennant winning Giants will have one pitcher with more than 16 wins. |
| September 20 |
The Yanks clinch their 3rd straight pennant‚ beating St. Louis 4-3 to lead by 18 games. Their final margin is 16. |
| September 21 |
Babe Ruth is the unanimous choice of the AL committee of baseball writers for the MVP award. |
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Detroit and Boston split a pair with the Sox taking the opener‚ 4-3‚ then losing 15-6. Ty Cobb scores 5 runs in game 2 for the 3rd time in his career. |
| September 23 |
In Atlanta‚ the wooden Ponce De Leon Park‚ home of the Crackers (South Association) burns down in a spectacular blaze. There is only one injury-a secretary who had fallen asleep in the front office is resuced but suffers burns. The park will be rebuilt in steel and concrete‚ renamed Spiller Park after the club president‚ and reopen for the 1924 season. |
| September 24 |
Bill Terry takes his first swings in a Giants uniform as a pinch hitter. On September 30th he will play his first game at 1B and get his first hit in a 4-3 win over Boston. |
| September 25 |
Rogers Hornsby is fined $500 and suspended indefinitely by the Cardinals when‚ feeling ill‚ he refuses to take the field for a game against the Robins‚ despite the team doctor's opinion that he is in condition to play. Raj is not needed as Haines tops Brooklyn‚ 4-1‚ for his 20th win. |
| September 27 |
Signed in June for a $1‚500 bonus‚ and recently brought up from Hartford (Eastern League)‚ Lou Gehrig hits the first of his 493 HRs. It comes off Bill Piercy at Fenway Park in an 8-3 New York win. |
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Red Sox owner Bob Quinn announces that Frank Chance will not manage the team next year. |
| September 28 |
Three weeks after both pitchers have thrown no-hitters versus the A's‚ Sam Jones of the Yankees and Howard Ehmke (20-17) of the Red Sox clash. It is not Ehmke's day; he is routed after facing a AL record 16 batters in an 11-run 6th inning‚ as manager Frank Chance declines to relieve his ace in mid-inning. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 24-4 with 30 hits in 55 at bats‚ both AL records. Ruth is 5-for-6 with two doubles and his 28th HR‚ Wally Schang adds 5 hits‚ and Gehrig 4 hits‚ including 3 doubles. |
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In another slugfest‚ the Tiger maul the Indians 17-3. Harry Heilmann is 4-for-4 to raise his average to .398. |
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The Giants beat Brooklyn 3-0 behind Art Nehf to clinch the NL flag. Bob Meusel's single off Grimes in the 1st inning scores 2‚ and he scores on the front end of a double steal. |
| September 29 |
The Reds Dolf Luque ends his campaign in style beating the visiting Cardinals‚ 11-1. He leaves after the game for Havana with a ML-leading won-loss record of 27-8‚ still the best single-season mark ever posted by a Latin American pitcher in ML play. Last year his 23 losses led the NL. |
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The Tigers (77-69) beat the Indians (76-68)‚ 3-0‚ and move into a tie for 2nd place in the AL: each with a .527 winning percentage. Rookie Earl Whitehill (2-0) wins in relief of starter Dauss‚ who is given the hook. (as noted by Retrosheet) Umpire Holmes stops the game and rules that Ty Cobb is using an illegal bat. Cobb chooses 3 others‚ then asks if he may go back to his locker and find another. |
| September 30 |
On Zack Wheat day in Brooklyn‚ the Phils Cy Williams ties the score in the 7th with his 39th homer and seals the win in the 12th with his 40th. The Phils win 6-4. Wheat has 2 hits and receives an automobile. Wheat finishes last in fielding this year with a dismal .908 percentge after leading the circuit with a .991 last season. |
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At Chicago‚ Hack Miller hits a 2-run HR in the 8th to give the Cubs a 5-4 win over the Pirates. Reb Russell hits a 2-run HR for the Bucs‚ his ball rolling under the screen in RF in the 6th inning for an inside-the-park homer |
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The NL champion New York Giants wrap up their home season with a 4-3‚ 10-inning win over the Braves. Moses Solomon‚ the "Rabbi of Swat‚" drives in Frisch with a double in the 10th. Solomon‚ who hit a minor-league record 49 homers at Hutchinson this year (a 50th was washed out August 26th)‚ breaking Perry Werden's 1895 record of 45 at Minneapolis‚‚ is 3-for-4 in his ML debut. But this is his only ML season. Hack Wilson‚ who made his ML debut yesterday‚ is 2-for-4. Young Bill Terry‚ who debuted on the 24th‚ is 1-for-3. Solomon will hold the home run record for just a year: Clarence Kraft will hit 55 at Ft. Worth next year. |
October
| October 2 |
In a 7-5 Detroit win over the White Sox‚ Harry Heilmann goes 2-for-2 to put his average over .400. He will sit for the rest of the season‚ except for a pinch single on the final day‚ and will win the batting title with a .403 average. Cobb helps out today with a steal of home in the 7th inning‚ his first steal of home in more than three years. |
| October 3 |
Ruth‚ playing in an exhibition game for John McGraw at the Polo Grounds‚ bashes the first HR ever hit over the RF roof. |
| October 4 |
Cleveland's Tris Speaker connects against the Browns for his 57th double as the visiting Tribe win‚ 5-1. His final total of 59 is a record that will be beaten in 1931 by Earl Webb (67)‚ but his career-high 793 (later revised down to 792) is still tops. |
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Tigers P Herman Pillette loses 9-6 to Chicago for his AL-high 19th loss of the season. His son Duane will tie for the lead the AL with 14 losses in 1951. |
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Allan "Rubber-Arm" Russell pitches in his 52nd game for Washington‚ a 7-6 loss to Boston. A record 47 are in relief. He also works 145 innings as a "fireman‚" another new mark. He finishes the season with a 9-4 record‚ 9 saves‚ and a 2.55 ERA in relief. |
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In his last appearance for the Yankees‚ Carl Mays has no magic left as the A's finally sink the submariner‚ 7-6‚ knocking him out of the box with 4 runs in the 5th He had won 24 straight games against the A's. Mays strikes out none‚ and gives up 10 hits and 3 walks. He will not appear in any of the WS games. Ruth‚ filling in for Pipp at 1B‚ clubs his 39th HR in the 1st. Eddie Rommel‚ in relief‚ is the winner. |
| October 5 |
In his season finale‚ Walter Johnson K's 12 Red Sox to win his 17th‚ 4-2. The 12 strikeouts are the highest in the majors this year and boosts Johnson's total to an AL-high 130. |
| October 6 |
Braves rookie SS Ernie Padgett‚ playing in his 2nd game‚ pulls an unassisted triple play against the Phils‚ the first in the NL since 1878. Walter Holke lines out‚ Cotton Tierney is forced‚ and Cliff Lee is tagged out. It is the first unassisted TP in the NL since 1878. The Braves win the 5-inning nitecap‚ 4-1‚ to sweep the twinbill. Joe Batchelder picks up the W over Lefty Weinert. |
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Against the Indians‚ Chicago rookie Ted Lyons (2-1) picks up his first two wins in the majors‚ both in relief. Lyons tosses 4 2/3 inning in the opener and three innings in the nitecap as the White Sox sweep‚ 6-3 and 7-6. They're his only wins this year. |
| October 7 |
At New York‚ Yankees SS Everett Scott runs his consecutive-game streak to 1‚138 in a 9-7 season finale loss to the A's. |
| October 10 |
It's an all-New York WS for the 3rd time. In the first WS game at Yankee Stadium‚ the home team takes a quick 3-0 lead‚ but Heinie Groh triples in 2 runs in a 4-run 3rd that drives Waite Hoyt (17-9) to cover. A 4-4 tie is broken in the top of the 9th by the Giants when Casey Stengel's blast rolls to the OF wall. The sore-legged veteran hobbles around the bases to score the winning run against reliever Joe Bush (19-15) before 55‚307 spectators. This is also the first WS to be broadcast on a nationwide radio network. Graham McNamee‚ aided by baseball writers taking turns‚ is at the mike. Grantland Rice had broadcast an earlier WS‚ but not nationally. |
| October 12 |
Yankee Stadium fills with 62‚430 fans to see an old-fashioned pitching duel. Once again a Stengel home run is the difference‚ as Art Nehf (13-10) bests Sam Jones (21-8) 1-0 in game 3. |
| October 13 |
The Yankees score 6 runs in the 2nd off 3 Giants hurlers to help a shaky Bob Shawkey (16-11) to an 8-4 win. Whitey Witt has 3 hits and 2 RBI; for the losers Frank Frisch has 2 hits for the 3rd time‚ and Ross Youngs has 4. |
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In the PCL, Vernon whitewashes Los Angeles, 20-0. |
| October 14 |
In game 5‚ the Yankees score 3 in the first and 4 in the 2nd off Jack Bentley (13-8)‚ and Joe Bush spins a 3-hitter for an 8-1 win. Joe Dugan has 4 hits‚ including a homer. |
| October 15 |
After Babe Ruth's first-inning HR‚ the Giants peck away at Herb Pennock for 4 runs and take a 4-1 lead into the 8th. With one out‚ Art Nehf loads the bases on 2 singles and a walk‚ then walks in a run. Reliever Rosy Ryan forces in another run with a walk to Joe Dugan. Ruth strikes out‚ but Bob Meusel raps a single that scores the go-ahead runs. Sam Jones holds off the Giants‚ and the Yankees have their first World Championship. |
| October 16 |
Soon after Babe Ruth receives his WS winner's share of $6‚160.46‚ insurance agent Harry Heilmann‚ who beat Ruth for the batting title by 10 points‚ sells him a $50‚000 life insurance policy. Beneficiaries are Mrs. Ruth and adopted daughter Dorothy. |
| October 19 |
Citing the unsavory characters associated with the sport‚ AL president Ban Johnson persuades AL owners to prohibit boxing matches in their parks. The NL declines to go along with it. |
| October 23 |
Babe Ruth makes a post-season appearance in a Giants uniform‚ as the Giants defeat the Baltimore Orioles 9-0. Ruth hits a HR over the RF roof at the Polo Grounds. The game is a benefit for destitute former Giants owner John Day. |
November
December
| December 6 |
While in Paris‚ John McGraw announces plans for a tour of Europe by the Giants and White Sox in 1924‚ as world interest in baseball grows. In Romania‚ Queen Marie will throw out the first ball to mark the game's debut in July. |
| December 9 |
Traveling to Chicago for the ML meetings‚ Wild Bill Donovan‚ New Haven manager‚ is killed when the 20th Century limited train crashes. Donovan was a pitcher for Detroit and respected ML manager for the Yankees and Phillies. New Haven president George Weiss had swapped berths with Donovan and he escapes with a minor injury. Phils owner William F. Baker is also on the train‚ but he is unhurt. In all‚ nine die. |
| December 11 |
Considered a troublemaker‚ the Yankees sell Carl Mays (5-2) to the Reds for $7500. The submariner‚ who was not used in the WS‚ will win 20 for the Reds next season. |
| December 15 |
Al Szymanski‚ 21‚ who signed with his hometown Milwaukee club in the spring and was farmed out to Shreveport‚ is traded. Connie Mack secured the rights to his contract while he was at Shreveport; at the end of the season he reported to Milwaukee and hit .398 in 24 games. Scorekeepers change his name to Simmons. The A's send IF Heinie Scheer and outfielders Wid Matthews and Frank "Beauty" McGowan to Milwaukee for the Simmons sleeper. |
